The present invention concerns anchoring fittings and more particularly anchorage for the surface of automotive body panels.
It is sometimes necessary to provide a sturdy retention for accessory items used in the interior spaces of automobiles. For example, cargo hold down nets and straps have heretofore been employed in the trunks of sedans and the cargo spaces of station wagons and light trucks.
Such equipment requires a secure attachment such that anchoring to body sheet metal portions is required for adequate strength.
Providing a suitable anchorage at minimum cost while affording adequate strength has presented difficulties, particularly since such equipment is typically offered as an option, and not installed in all of the cars produced of a given model.
One approach has been to secure a hat shaped bracket to the sheet metal, as by screws or welding, and bolting a hook or eye to the bridging portion thereof. This entails a good deal of assembly labor and inventory of several parts. Furthermore the result is a structure which projects sharply into the interior space of the auto.
Such anchorage must be both water and gas tight to prevent the entrance of these fluids into the interior spaces of the auto in which the anchorage is installed. Furthermore, such anchorages should preferably be able to be completely installed entirely from the inside of such spaces to minimize the assembly labor required, or to make installation possible where there is only access to the interior side of the panel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an anchorage for body panels suitable for automotive installations, which is simple and able to be installed entirely from the inside surface with a minimum of labor, with a resulting completely water and gas tight connection.
It is a further object to provide an anchorage which is adaptable to optional installation, and projects only minimally from the inside surfaces.